Russia test-fires missile as Putin vows force is 'last resort'

Russia has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in a pre-arranged move as tension mounts over Ukraine's Crimea region. Vladimir Putin said there was no need to use military force in Crimea, but it would only be used as a "last resort".

US President Barack Obama held a second Ukraine-focused meeting of the National Security Council in two days.

Obama convenes the meeting in the Situation Room Credit: The White House/Reuters

Mr Obama met with the council for more than two hours on Monday evening and again on Tuesday morning to discuss steps the US can take to de-escalate the crisis in Crimea.

He said that Russia's legitimate interests in Ukraine did not give it a right to "use force as a means of exerting influence", and insisted the Ukrainian people should be able to decide their own future.

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US President Barack Obama has said Russia's actions in Ukraine violate international law.

Mr Obama said although Mr Putin seemed to have a "different set of lawyers" making different interpretations, he is "not fooling anyone".

He added that Russia's legitimate interests in Ukraine did not give it a right to "use force as a means of exerting influence", and insisted the Ukrainian people should be able to decide their own future.

Russia has said it will retaliate if the United States imposed any sanctions over the country's actions in Ukraine, after US Secretary of State John Kerry warned that the US was prepared to take action to "isolate Russia" unless the tension was reduced.

"We will have to respond," foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement.

"As always in such situations, provoked by rash and irresponsible actions by Washington, we stress: This is not our choice," he added.